THE BROOK TROUT. 139 
rising often, endeavor to drop your fly directly in the 
centre of the circle where he bells up, and if it alights 
lightly and gently on the water, he will pretty certainly 
take it. If he takes it just as it strikes the water, or 
just as it is leaving it, when you are withdrawing it for 
another cast—that is, when your line is perfectly straight 
and tight, he will hook himself; otherwise it is neces- 
sary to strike him, which is done by a very slight inde- 
seribable inward turn of the wrist; when he is struck, 
the great secret of playing and killing him is to make 
him fight his hardest for every inch of line you give him, 
never to give him one which he does not take, and to 
miss no opportunity, when his run is over for the mo- 
ment, and he is weakened, to reel in as fast as you may 
without overstraining ; always endeavor to carry him 
down stream, as the gills are so closed by the action of 
the water, and his breathing.is impeded. If he is mak- 
ing for a stone or piles whereon your tackle would prob- 
ably be broken, or down a fall, so that you must turn or 
lose him, advance your butt, inclining your rod quite 
backward over the right shoulder, so as to make him 
take the full strain and leverage of the whole length of 
your rod; when he is dead beat, draw him warily and 
gently into the shoal water, or to your boat side, slip 
your landing-net under, or your gaff into him, and he 
is yours. 
If he be above two pounds weight, stun him with a 
blow on the head, crossing by a series of cuts parallel to 
